I AM BECAUSE NATURE IS
Our Story
KLIPINNIBOS Nature Farm is a 60 ha stretch of land situated on the escarpment in the Mpumalanga mistbelt, with beautiful views over Schoemanskloof.
​
Although this farm has been a part of our family for over 8 decades, the more recent story of the land and us comes in 2 phases.
​
First Phase:
My mother and her sisters inherited the farm in the early 2000's. Back then, the Stone House was a mere ghost of its former, and indeed, current self. My aunt and her husband lived in Lydenburg and slowly-slowly, with lots of dedication and passion, began to restore the old place. Putting in floors, windows, doors, kitchen, bathroom etc etc.
Around 2015 the house got to don a new roof and patio, and voilá! It took on its more current form. (More recently we used the original roof sheets for a veranda roof.)
​
The Second Phase:
Begins in 2019, when I moved here, with a big dream, lots of courage, and totally oblivious of how hard it is going to be to restore the farm's degraded landscapes.
It was at the end of a multi year drought.
The air was dusty and mouldy, fungal spores lay dormant everywhere, waiting patiently for the rain to revive them from their slumber.
The site of the old stone house was a tiny little clearing in an ocean of wattle and gum trees. Hidden amongst the invasives, a few pockets of indigenous beauty were still hanging on.
​
Since then
~ 17 ha have been cleared of gum and wattle, and sections of invasive pines ringbarked
~we do regular maintenance weeding in those areas
~are restoring our nearly destroyed wetland
~changed from yearly burns of the whole grassland, to a longer rotation, with the aim to establish a patch mosaic schedule.
~and started managing the water in the landscape for the benefit of Nature
​
Some of the cleared areas are regenerating exceptionally well, whilst others needs our support with reintroduction of native grasses and trees.
​
Even though we have yet to clear another 20+ hectares, we already have an abundance of bird species gracing us with their presence, as well as increasing numbers of wildlife drawn to the regenerating spaces.
​​​​
The Early Days
The Old Man
on the
Mountain
Oom Ouboet
se Plek
This old stone house, has been lovingly called "Oom Ouboet se plek" by my family.
Oom Ouboet was the great uncle of my mother and her sister's. He lived here alone.
​
In my mother's words:
​
"My childhood memories of our mother's uncle, Oom Ouboet, stretches way back to the 1960's.
Being maybe 6 and my sister 2 years my sr, and number 3 of 5 still a toddler, accompanied by our parents we would occasionally go visit the dear short man, walking deftly with two walking sticks after having an early childhood accident involving a wagon. He walked up and down this tricky mountain to visit his brother, our grandfather, Oupa Piet Schoeman in Schoemanskloof! With no Telkom or cellphone services in those days, he used to get onto the highest boulder to send down flash signals, by using a mirror, to his brother when in need of help.
The most amazing part of these visits was being in a house with no electricity át all! Black wood burning stove, with once at least, having a simmering pot of delicious guineafowl on it for our first ever tasting! And always the aromatic smell of a ready coffee can on the other plate. Also, his great sense of humour will be remembered by us all...
The three huge Eucalyptus trees in front of the house were even in our mother's memory forever the same size! We used to slip and slide to our hearts content on the other side of the road on heaps of pine needles between the huge boulders... while sinking our teeth into the sweetest peaches and plums from Oom Ouboet's fruit trees. Good memories of a great man's imprint on Klipinnibos..."
​
​
#Schoemanskloof Accommodation
#Mpumalanga Accommodation
#Retreat Venue
#Wedding Venue
#Yoga Retreat